The fish that chose me, Ever bonded with a fish emotionally?

[quikv6]

I am bonded with a fish, though I admit it's completely a one way street.

I mentioned this before, but I took over care for a tank at my old workplace. When I discovered the tank, an old 46 bowfront, it was beyond neglected, and housed a single banded leporinus who was about 9 years old at the time. (He had killed all his tankmates).

I couldn't nail down who was taking care of the tank, so I asked to test the water.

Nitrates were around 500ppm, and PH was 4.5, KH 0. The tank was beyond neglected. I asked to take over, and started small water changes that day.... which lasted every day for nearly 2 weeks, until it slowly matched the tap. I got fresh food, rather that the years expired Tetra flake he was eating.

The Lep colored up, and was far more active.

I got him a larger tank, and even tried to get him a tank mate. (Short story...3 hours later, I went back for this tank mate, who was on death's door.... thanks to the Lep.) He became my Oscar from that moment.

And... here i am... nearly 5 years later... and I still go to that office once a week to take care of the Lep. He's now about 13 years old. He wants nothing to do with me.... but man, do I love him. He's a tough fish, man. The least I could do is give him the best, longest ride off into the sunset for all he endured. And I'm thrilled to have that opportunity.

 

[jjohnwm]

I am bonded with a fish, though I admit it's completely a one way street.

I mentioned this before, but I took over care for a tank at my old workplace. When I discovered the tank, an old 46 bowfront, it was beyond neglected, and housed a single banded leporinus who was about 9 years old at the time. (He had killed all his tankmates).

I couldn't nail down who was taking care of the tank, so I asked to test the water.

Nitrates were around 500ppm, and PH was 4.5, KH 0. The tank was beyond neglected. I asked to take over, and started small water changes that day.... which lasted every day for nearly 2 weeks, until it slowly matched the tap. I got fresh food, rather that the years expired Tetra flake he was eating.

The Lep colored up, and was far more active.

I got him a larger tank, and even tried to get him a tank mate. (Short story...3 hours later, I went back for this tank mate, who was on death's door.... thanks to the Lep.) He became my Oscar from that moment.

And... here i am... nearly 5 years later... and I still go to that office once a week to take care of the Lep. He's now about 13 years old. He wants nothing to do with me.... but man, do I love him. He's a tough fish, man. The least I could do is give him the best, longest ride off into the sunset for all he endured. And I'm thrilled to have that opportunity.

Yes, but this was you feeling a bond with the fish. It's telling to note that you admit the fish didn't spare a thought for you.

...research suggests they do have feelings and can exhibit behaviors that may resemble emotions...

Lol, there's some real hard-and-fast scientific terminology there.

Sounds more like carefully written ad copy. "Save up to 50% on selected items. Some exceptions apply. Not available at all locations. Quantities limited. See store for details."


I'm not suggesting that people don't bond to fish. I just think that when that happens they look for signs or hints that the feeling is reciprocated...and IMHO, it isn't. They are simply seeing what they want to see.

 

[esoxlucius]

Fish bonding with people? People bonding with fish? There's probably a bit of truth in the latter, occasionally, but certainly not the former imo.

As excited as fish seem to get when their owner nears the tank, it's for one reason only....food! Not because they love you or want to be petted by you. Where their next meal comes from is all that matters to them really, unless you have a tank full of cichlids and then territorial spats probably take their minds off food for a while.

As for owners bonding with fish? Sure. It's in our emotional make up to get attached to other living things. I was quite attached to my giant gourami, but I'm positive he didn't give a toss about me.

And when I set up my European Perch tank I will love them guys more than my kids! But no matter how well I feed them, or how well I care for them, I will be nothing more to them than the old bald guy who chucks food in.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I treat my fish more as subjects than friends or relatives, as I am more a ruler or steward than a parent. I design my tanks to bring the natural world into my home rather than establish an emotional connection to a pet. More of a bond with nature than the individual fish for me.

In that manner i can say that there is some sort of "empathy" shared. I often admire the primitive, instinctual motivations of fish behavior and how my own experiences and emotions relate. Sometimes I allow myself to be influenced by their relative emotional simplicity/disregard--keep swimming, keep eating, keep surviving no matter what.

But I do love them and quite a few have names lol

 

[FINWIN]

Debated whether to answer this thread. In a word, yes.

Depends on the fish.
Depends on environment and structure of generations.
Seen too many examples to list.
Not gonna argue.
As said, I go by deduction, repetition of situational behavior and analysis. Period.
Contrary to popular belief, the human species isn't that unique when it comes to interactions. You don't have to be a kook to see what's in front of you.

Cute things, humans...we 'run' a small dirtball in the universe and think we're hot ++++. Yet we're bound to this dirtball like anything else. Funny how that works. Wreck earth, and we're history.

We're important because we say so. Our cultures, technology and politics don't change a damn thing except our own existence, so whatever. Earth still rotates, sun is still hot. Galaxies roll on...still gotta breathe air, eat, sleep, shelter and reproduce. The basics of specie existence. Now can you dig it????

 

[jjohnwm]

I treat my fish more as subjects than friends or relatives, as I am more a ruler or steward than a parent. I design my tanks to bring the natural world into my home rather than establish an emotional connection to a pet. More of a bond with nature than the individual fish for me.

Perfect explanation, I agree completely.
But I prefer to think of myself more as a "benevolent despot"...

Cute things, humans...we 'run' a small dirtball in the universe and think we're hot ++++. Yet we're bound to this dirtball like anything else. Funny how that works. Wreck earth, and we're history...We're important because we say so.

Exactly! Fish are fish, and people are people...and on the cosmic scale of importance, the two groups are practically indistinguishable from each other. The minute differences matter only to us. On the "importance spectrum", there is probably a great deal of overlap between the most-developed fish, and the least-developed humans. Or...would that be the "self-importance spectrum"? Maybe the "delusional spectrum"??

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For example...I know I've had fish that were higher on at least some of those scales than this ^ specimen!

The truest defining characteristic of "civilization" is the fact that it creates a warm, comfortable, safe environment for its members, thereby providing them the luxury of spending their time on navel-gazing and introspection...rather than on finding food and avoiding predators. You know...sort of like the safe environment we create for our subjects...er, sorry, our fish...

I'd love to continue this discussion...like, it's deep, man, can you dig?...but I'm currently embroiled in a marathon session of watching the original "Outer Limits" series on Prime and I need to dust off my brain and get back to it.

 

[FINWIN]

"Interesting little creatures, these humans. Perhaps we need to create an environment they can thrive in. The relatively small head ratio to body indicates limited intelligence. Such strange behaviors, scampering all over the planet with odd mannerisms and gestures. Very interesting! Let's catch some and put them in a bowl. Perhaps we can breed for color and conformation??"